Stuff

The YouGov/Evening Standard poll also included various questions about Boris Johnson’s mayoralty. Boris’s overall net approval rating stands at plus 25, with 46% satisfied with the job he is doing as mayor and 21% dissatisfied. Asked about specific areas, there was strong net approval of his handling of London buses (plus 33) and the Tube (plus 27), slightly weaker approval of his performance on crime (plus 10) and a marginally negative verdict of how he has handled the recession (minus 2).

YouGov also asked how people would vote in a re-run between Boris and Ken – 49% would vote Boris, 33% Ken (respondents were not offered the chance of voting for other candidates, so this was not a genuine voting intention polls by any means, but since the London electoral system does redistribute votes between the top two candidates it offers a rough guide). Asked about an election between Boris and an unspecified Labour candidate Boris’s lead was even larger, but that really was an articifical choice in an election that is largely about the individual mayoral candidates.

Finally YouGov asked who people would prefer in a contest between Boris and Sir Alan Sugar. This showed Sir Alan with a solid lead over Boris, 40% to 32%. It’s worth noting that it was presented as “Labour not fielding a candidate”, with the implication that Sir Alan was running as an Independent, rather than Sir Alan as the Labour candidate, which I suspect would have lead to rather different results.

Interesting findings – especially in relation to “Siralan”. I would have thought, though, that Siralan is far too savvy to mix himself in the dark and dirty world of politics.

As a businessman it is likely that there will be someone out there who holds a grudge (valid or otherwise) against Siralan and a political campaign would be the moment in which such a grudge would manifest itself. As such, I imagine that Siralan would avoid the Mayor’s race like the plague.

More bad news for Labour though. If their only recognisable London “character” can no longer compete with Boris, what chance any of the suits who are likely to actually contest the Mayoralty in 2012?

Matt – Sir Alan’s response in the Standard certainly didn’t suggest he’d have anything to do with it. It was along the lines of “I haven’t the first idea what it would involve, if I did it the press would be constantly looking for conflicts of interest with my business dealings, so I could only do it if the press behaved, which they won’t, so no.”

Even as a Tory (and Boris) supporter, I must say that it would be refreshing if there was an independent candidate put forward who could pse a real challenge. Sadly, I fear that too many politicos are already embedded in the party structure to allow for this.